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Leadville's new site is up.

5K views 67 replies 40 participants last post by  scooter2468 
#1 ·
Leadville's new site is up. Registration is up and running, no group entries, and the price has gone up. Looks like they are trying to pay for that movie. Breck 100 here I come.
 
#2 ·
Mr Yeti said:
Leadville's new site is up. Registration is up and running, no group entries, and the price has gone up. Looks like they are trying to pay for that movie. Breck 100 here I come.
You do realize that the race promoters and the movie producers are not one and the same??

Seems that lot's of folks really like busting on the Leadville folks for the entry fees, but... it's a free market and if I were getting many, many thousands of extra entries at $250 a pop, I'd up the fees, too, until I found the optimal price so that no entries went unclaimed.
 
#5 · (Edited)
12wheels said:
I could understand the fee hikes when there were 600-700 racers but find it a little tough to take now that they have 1400.
It's just an issue of supply/demand, right? Greater demand combined w/ limited supply = higher pricing. It's very simple and it's nothing evil or underhanded on the promoters' part. The $15 fee just to submit an entry IS evil, however. I'm glad I got a chance to do the race this year, 'cause there's no way I'd enter this year, on principle alone.
 
#8 ·
There are lots of things that cost "too much": Salsa Skewers, Sidi shoes, etc. People still buy them for the snobby "bling" factor; likewise Leadville. If you don't like the price, don't buy the product...
The $15 "lottery entry fee" is the same as you would be charged by active.com or ticketbastard; however, it would have been nice if they rolled it into the $275 that lottery winners pay. But w/e...
 
#9 ·
sdcadbiker said:
There are lots of things that cost "too much": Salsa Skewers, Sidi shoes, etc. People still buy them for the snobby "bling" factor; likewise Leadville. If you don't like the price, don't buy the product...
The $15 "lottery entry fee" is the same as you would be charged by active.com or ticketbastard; however, it would have been nice if they rolled it into the $275 that lottery winners pay. But w/e...
But with those fees you actually get a ticket to the show. I understand why they are doing this, but personally I think it is weak sauce. I will not be trying to get in now.....too much money to ride dirt roads, I can do that on my own.

I saw the movie and it looks like a great time, but for me and my wife to do this would cost way too much with lodging. We are going to just take a long trip and ride instead.
 
#11 ·
On paper the LT100 is a racket....but still consider it.

The cost is expensive, and the new $15 application fee is an absolute racket, but there is something about the race that somehow makes it worth it. I have raced other ultra endurance events (Durango 100, Laramie Enduro ) and both offered better singletrack and overall support stations but Leadville has a different charm. If you have never raced it don't pass based on the cost....the fans/crowds are pretty sweet and all the racers really root for each other to get through it. You won't be racing on the best singletrack/trail but it is a really neat event. I raced in 2005 and tried to get in for the past couple years. I paid the $15 fee and am hoping to give it another shot. Never done the Breck 100 but have raced the Firecracker for 3 years (AWESOME).
 
#12 ·
My, how Leadville is... evolving.

My take on the $15 lottery fee is that is intended in part to up the ante for the commitment to enter.

I didn't get in this year (2009), which is the first year I threw in my hat, and was a little cynical (shall we say) about all the figures bandied about concerning the number of lottery entries which had to have been inflated by a good number of anybody's who could fill out a form and stamp an envelope whose only downside was to get a ding letter along with their returned check if they didn't get in.
 
#13 ·
Running a race is a costly business. I learned first hand from running The Intermontane Challenge. The lottery fee I see is to cover another one of those cost that nip away at the bottom line. It takes time and money to sort through all the potential racers. For successful races like Leadville to survive... we(race organizers) need to see something that isn't red at the bottom line. We dream of the day when we have Leadville's problem.. too many racers!!!
 
#14 ·
Well said

chuckbiker said:
Running a race is a costly business. I learned first hand from running The Intermontane Challenge. The lottery fee I see is to cover another one of those cost that nip away at the bottom line. It takes time and money to sort through all the potential racers. For successful races like Leadville to survive... we(race organizers) need to see something that isn't red at the bottom line. We dream of the day when we have Leadville's problem.. too many racers!!!
It feels like there's a lot of attitude out there that sounds like people think they should be able to get into any race without having to pay. And, no doubt there are some organizers (especially of grass-roots races) that do it purely for the love and don't mind shelling out their own $s - but how long can someone do that?

Look at the lottery fee as a way to cut down the applicants who aren't serious and improve the odds a bit for those who are. Last year almost 200 people registered but didn't start. You could argue that it's "found money" for the organizers. But, they still had to plan on them being there - ensuring that they had the swag, aid stations were geared up for them, etc. And, it kept 200 others who would have shown up from getting in.
 
#15 ·
chuckred said:
It feels like there's a lot of attitude out there that sounds like people think they should be able to get into any race without having to pay. And, no doubt there are some organizers (especially of grass-roots races) that do it purely for the love and don't mind shelling out their own $s - but how long can someone do that?

Look at the lottery fee as a way to cut down the applicants who aren't serious and improve the odds a bit for those who are. Last year almost 200 people registered but didn't start. You could argue that it's "found money" for the organizers. But, they still had to plan on them being there - ensuring that they had the swag, aid stations were geared up for them, etc. And, it kept 200 others who would have shown up from getting in.
I agree with most of your points, except that I don't think there are that many folks who'll send in $250 8 months in advance if they're not serious about wanting to do the race, and there's no reason to assume that if the 200 who didn't show up weren't registered there wouldn't be 200 more who also wouldn't show up. I refuse to believe that the 200 or so registrants who didn't show up weren't committed from the beginning and weren't torn up about not being able to attend, whether due to injury or whatever. There will always be pre-registered riders who don't show.
 
#16 ·
I'd feel better about the event if it hadn't grown so large so quickly. The first 20 miles are too crowded and Columbine is an accident waiting to happen. I'd also be less critical of the fee hike if I hadn't competed in the running events on Pike's Peak.
http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/entry.htm
$95* for the Ascent (1800 runners) and $85 for the Marathon (800 runners). The vibe is great and fees small. Excellent support and aid stations as well.

It's great to see the money rolling into Leadville but after 13 years of racing and volunteering this is the first year I've questioned whether it's really worth the fee.

Flame away guys.

*They use Active for registration so there is an additional fee.
 
#17 ·
12wheels said:
I'd feel better about the event if it hadn't grown so large so quickly. The first 20 miles are too crowded and Columbine is an accident waiting to happen. I'd also be less critical of the fee hike if I hadn't competed in the running events on Pike's Peak.
http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/entry.htm
$95* for the Ascent (1800 runners) and $85 for the Marathon (800 runners). The vibe is great and fees small. Excellent support and aid stations as well.

It's great to see the money rolling into Leadville but after 13 years of racing and volunteering this is the first year I've questioned whether it's really worth the fee.

Flame away guys.

*They use Active for registration so there is an additional fee.
Not a flame, but an expansion of your point... there's a very fine line between what a promoter must charge to generate enough revenue to keep an event going and the amount the racers are willing to pay to attend the event. Until such time as Leadville has open slots available on race day, they haven't crossed over the 'too much' line, at least for those riders who've chosen to attend. For me, given that I've done the event once already and have checked it off my list, they've crossed that line already. From the perspective of really wanting to do the ride at least once, it was worth the $250 entry plus all the other costs. Going forward, it isn't worth it to me to pay the increased fees plus all the other costs just to do it a second time. In some small regard, I think it will be a good thing if more people think like me, since it will mean less repeat riders and therefore more new folks get their chance to do it, too.
 
#18 ·
chuckred said:
Last year almost 200 people registered but didn't start. You could argue that it's "found money" for the organizers.
Come on, that's a function of no refunds/entry swaps on a race that you have to sign up for in January that doesn't take place until August. People get sick, hurt, move, whatever and with a no refunds or transfers policy, Leadville just pockets the cash.

Also no one expects the race to be free. But since I've been racing, which isn't that long, entry has gone from $220 to nearly $300 for no gain in services.
 
#21 ·
scooter2468 said:
It's just an issue of supply/demand, right? Greater demand combined w/ limited supply = higher pricing. It's very simple and it's nothing evil or underhanded on the promoters' part. The $15 fee just to submit an entry IS evil, however. I'm glad I got a chance to do the race this year, 'cause there's no way I'd enter this year, on principle alone.
Agreed. As long as people keep signing up in droves, the price will continue to creep higher every few years. The Leadville race is in a great position and can, up to a certain point, name their price. Presumably, there is a point where demand decreases due to the price, waning popularity or competition, then the price may drop or stop increasing.

I also agree that a $15 submission fee and a higher entry fee together is lame. Requiring someone to pay $15 just for the honor of being included in a lottery is just plain wrong in my book. If the intent is to deter those not totally serious, I doubt it will work.
 
#22 ·
I would love to do Leadville some day. Considering that travel expenses would be several thousand dollars, not to mention all the money you are likely to spend on new gear and bike parts, then paying an extra 50-100 to enter is a drop in the bucket. I expect that a lot of people can look at it that way.

Would be different if you are more local, maybe.
 
#23 ·
anthony.delorenzo said:
I would love to do Leadville some day. Considering that travel expenses would be several thousand dollars, not to mention all the money you are likely to spend on new gear and bike parts, then paying an extra 50-100 to enter is a drop in the bucket. I expect that a lot of people can look at it that way.

Would be different if you are more local, maybe.
Some years ago I spent a lot of money to travel cross country to do an Ironman and it was worth every penny, considering it was my first one (actually, my only one). It was a big goal to complete an Ironman, so it was worth it the first time. No way in the world was I going to spend that kind of money twice.

As for Leadville, I'd say that it has the sort of cachet to make it worth the expense once just so you can say you did it. If I were far enough away that it took more than one day's drive to get there, I wouldn't bother with doing it twice. As a relative local, the entry fee alone wouldn't dissuade me from doing it twice, but the impact it has on your overall schedule is. Well, if you're not a committed mtb endurance guy, it is. I much prefer XC racing as opposed to endurance or marathon events, so its tough to prepare for both 2 hr events AND a 10 hr event simultaneously. I did it once, that's enough.
 
#24 ·
Really can't hate on Leadville too much for charging more money. It's simple supply and demand. They have a popular product which dictates the price goes up. I think they do a good job of putting on a excellent, logistics-intensive race with international exposure, but never forget the reason Chlouber dreamed up all these races to begin with. Money. Dolla-dolla bills y'all, Personally I don't really like paying that kind of money.... but I will... so I guess the price is about right.
People will cry and cry about the money and it will turn some people off, but still they will be turning people away.
 
#25 ·
I raced Leadville this past year. Loved it and will be up there volunteering as well as pacing on the 100 mile trail run. The people, atmosphere, and Ken Clouber all make it worthwhile. I plan to return in 2011 and cant wait. Until then, gotta prep my bike for the snow mtb series at Leadville which kicks off next week as well as that bear of a race called the Breckenridge 100. :) Cheers.

And yes, that belt buckle is a sexy thing once you have it.
 
#26 ·
The old site listed every finisher that had ever finished the race and the run IIRC. If not for each year, then at least for the past several years. I poured over the splits for my 2009 race.

Does anyone see that on the new site. I cant even find last years finishing times.

Sort of strange for a race that is "about the people".

LP
 
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